Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“I don’t know.” I passed her the joint. “We took him to a Voodoo Woman that scared the shit out of me.”
She grabbed it. “What was her name?”
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the high washing over me. “I don’t even want to speak her name. It might bring her here or disturb my peace.”
“Was she on Bourbon Street?”
I opened my eyes and drank the beauty of Tiana in. “No. She was out in some bayou-looking area.”
“Then, she was the truth.” Tiana blew smoke my way. “What scared you?”
“She told me some shit that didn’t make any sense.”
Tiana handed the joint to me. “What did she say?”
Uncomfortable, I waved the joint away and slipped my hand over Tiana’s thigh. I stopped my finger at a tiny scar near her knee. “How did you get this?”
“No one’s ever asked that.”
“Sometimes scars are more interesting than silky skin.”
She took another puff of the joint. “I was a young girl playing near the swamp. My brother yelled and said there was an alligator close to me. I ran so fast and fell on a huge tree root jutting up from the ground.”
I quirked my brows. “Did it get you?”
“It wasn’t an alligator after all.”
“Brothers can be assholes.”
“They sure can be.” She blew smoke through her nose. “Either way, that’s how I got this scar. It was my first visit to New Orleans.”
“I don’t want to give you any disrespect, but I have a question.”
“Say it.”
I looked into her eyes. “Why do you work here?”
She placed the joint near me. “Why won’t you smoke?”
I took it from her. “I’m hoping this shit isn’t making me crazy.”
“It’s not, Maxwell. This is just a crazy city.” She smiled. “And I work here because I have big responsibilities and even bigger goals.”
I studied the joint in my hand. “What sort of goals, Tiana?”
“I want to be a doctor.”
I moved my attention back to her. “Oh yeah?”
“I’m saving up to pay for medical school I was already accepted, but I asked them to hold it for me.”
“Damn. I bet you’re smart as hell.”
“My father’s people are from the seventh ward. Before Hurricane Katrina it was regarded as a notoriously bloody neighborhood. Now it’s just helpless impoverished people trying to survive.” She sighed. “I plan to take my skills there and provide medical attention. Open up a clinic. Try and get everyone jobs and help.”
“We need more black doctors.”
“More Black female doctors.”
“Correct.” I took a puff of the joint, feeling more comfortable with her.
“I’ll be out of this place soon.” She looked off in the distance as if seeing the dream right before her. “I’ve got a kid so it’s taking me a bit longer, but I’m going to do it.”
“You already have your bachelor’s degree?”
“With honors. Have a little scholarship waiting for me in medical school too, but it won’t pay for everything like child care and things my mother needs.” Her face brightened. “She left Hawaii to help me watch my kid.”
“Does she know what you do here?”
Tiana’s expression went sad. “No. She wouldn’t understand.”
“Do you miss Hawaii?”
“I miss the beaches and beautiful landscape. I especially miss the food. I love poke. Mainland poke is weird.”
“I don’t even know what poke is.”
“Poke means cubed, so it should just be cubed raw fish and rice. But the ones on the mainland made by white people are all kinds of other stuff and don’t even have cubed raw fish.”
I handed her the joint. “So, when you’re saying mainland, you’re talking about America.”
Nodding, she inhaled. Smoke left her pretty lips. “Yep.”
Someone knocked on the door.
We both looked that way.
“Hold on. One of the girls may need me.” Giving me back the joint, Tiana took my shirt off the side of the bed, put it on, and walked over to the door.
I had to admit that I enjoyed her wearing it.
She opened the door, widened her eyes, and backed up. “Hello, sir.”
Rafael stepped in. “Have you been taking care of my friend?”
“I have.”
I pulled the sheet over my dick and sat up. “What’s up?”
“First, I want to say that I didn’t want to do this.” Rafael touched his chest.
I moved my hand down to the side of the bed where I knew my gun was in my jacket.
“But, Gwen demanded it.”
I stopped my hand from going for my gun. “Demanded what?”
“Gwen wants to talk to you.”
“For what?”
“She won’t tell me.” Rafael shrugged. “And I won’t let her walk into this place. You’ll have to talk to her on the porch.”
Tiana strolled over to me.
I took another hit from the joint and handed it to her. “Give me a minute, Rafael.”
He left and shut the door.
Interesting.
I put my pants on.
Tiana actually looked disappointed. “Are you leaving?”
“No. I’ll be back. The sun isn’t up yet. However,” I pointed to my briefcase. “Could you do me a favor and put that up for me?”